Del Mar Picks & Predictions — August 1, 2026

High Ambition is the only horse in this field with a recorded average speed figure — 57 — and that piece of form information alone sets him apart from a bunch of unknown quantities. Trainer Jose Francisco D'Angelo teams with Emisael Jaramillo from the outside 7-post, and a rating of 56.67 puts him just a hair behind Brockster. If he's seen a real race scenario in his past, that experience edge over debut runners could be decisive at 3/1.

Bliksem slots in at 53.33 on the TrackWiz scale with the Jeff Mullins barn behind him — Mullins is one of the most productive turf trainers in Southern California and consistently puts up sharp first-time grass runners. The 5/1 price offers a bit of value in what figures to be a chaotic race without a clear pace setup. Keeping him in the exotic mix as a show horse makes sense given the barn's turf pedigree.

Keepsmesane is the public's choice at 7/5 and carries a 59.33 TrackWiz rating alongside the field's highest recorded average speed figure of 56 — those numbers make him a legitimate contender even if our model has Simple Majority rated higher overall. Trainer Doug F. O'Neill is a high-volume, high-percentage barn and Edwin A. Maldonado gets the call. At heavy odds-on, he's hard to beat outright, but using him under Simple Majority in exactas and trifectas is the move.

Red Raider opens at 5/1 with a 53.33 TrackWiz rating, slotting into a comfortable third tier in this field. Trainer Craig Anthony Lewis sends him out with Abel Lezcano, and while there's no recorded speed figure to lean on, the TrackWiz rating puts him ahead of several horses with actual form lines. In a chaotic maiden claimer where pace is unresolved, a horse with unknown ceiling at a fair price deserves spot in show/trifecta coverage.

Prince Dolce brings a 28% career win rate — best in this field alongside Mr. Disrespectful — and a TrackWiz rating of 81.38 that puts him solidly in the conversation at 4/1. Trainer Steve R. Knapp pairs with Ricardo Gonzalez, and the average speed figure of 55 is competitive across the board here. He's the type of consistent graded-level horse who fits comfortably as a place back in a stakes where the favorite may draw a lot of the public's money.

Old Pal owns the best career win percentage in this field at 33% and pairs that with a 73.38 TrackWiz rating, making him a solid stalker profile at 5/2. Trainer Mark Glatt is one of the sharpest conditioners at Del Mar and Juan J. Hernandez knows this course as well as anyone. The combination of elite win percentage, a proven trainer, and a familiar jockey makes Old Pal the right show horse to round out your exacta and trifecta tickets.

Big Reflections brings the standout career win percentage in this field at 33% — a number that speaks to a horse who knows how to finish — paired with a 71.03 TrackWiz rating that slots him in second on our model. Tyler Baze gets the call for trainer Sean McCarthy, and with an average speed figure of 54 he's got a slight edge on the majority of rivals. A horse closing at this rate deserves serious place consideration, especially if the pace melts down in front of him.

D Day Sky draws in at 3/1 — shortest of our three picks — with a 68.84 TrackWiz rating and the class pedigree of trainer Peter Eurton behind him. His average speed figure of 54 matches Big Reflections, and a 5% career win rate is the one thing working against him, though claiming fields often bring horses in career turnaround spots. If Eurton is pointing him here with intent, the morning line underestimates his chances.

Zuraya checks in at 69.14 on the TrackWiz scale with an average speed figure of 55, slotting in as the logical second choice for our model despite opening at 3/1. Trainer Michael W. McCarthy is an elite conditioner with a strong record on the grass, and Umberto Rispoli is one of the sharper turf jockeys at the meet. She could easily win this race outright — the 3/1 price is fair for a horse with her pedigree and connections.

Silkie Sevei rates third in the field at 62.70 and lands in the hands of Juan J. Hernandez for trainer Philip D'Amato — a duo that's clicked consistently on the Del Mar turf. An average speed figure of 55 matches the top two picks, which is encouraging in a race where pace shape is uncertain. At 4/1, she's worth including as a show horse and in wide exotics, particularly if the race sets up for closers.

See Through It rates at 71.33 with a 32% career win percentage — one of the stronger win rates in this field — and opens at 8/1 on the morning line. Trainer Genaro Vallejo sends him out with Cesar Belmont, and an average speed figure of 56 matches the top runners in this group. A horse winning nearly a third of his starts at allowance/optional claiming level is exactly the type that punches above his odds, making him dangerous as a place horse if the 12/1 shot gets loose on the front end.

Ahrens rates at 70.51 with an impressive 50% career win percentage — tied for the highest in the field — and opens at a surprising 10/1 on the morning line. Trainer John W. Sadler is one of the most respected conditioners in California, and Joel Rosario is a world-class jockey who routinely finds the best trip in a field. The disconnect between that career win rate, Sadler's reputation, and the double-digit price is worth exploiting in trifecta and exacta boxes.

Scene by Me rates just behind at 85.62 with a 25% career win rate, an average speed figure of 57, and the powerful Mark Glatt barn behind her. Emisael Jaramillo gets the call, a proven turf sprint rider, and at 4/1 this is a horse that could very easily win outright. She's the type of horse where the place bet is the safe side of a race where the top two both have strong claims — using both in an exacta saver makes sense.

Jetovator brings an 80.01 TrackWiz rating — third in this massive field — alongside an average speed figure of 57 that matches Scene by Me for the second-highest in the race. Trainer Peter Eurton is sharp with sprinters on the Del Mar turf, and Antonio Fresu is a capable jockey with good Del Mar form. At 5/2, he's actually shorter than our two top picks, which tells you the public respects him — using him as a show horse while chasing the higher-rated pair at longer odds is a reasonable approach.

Majestic Oops rates second in the field at 81.68 with a 22% career win percentage and an average speed figure of 55 — the highest of the three picks and a meaningful edge in a stakes that will be honest. Trainer Philip D'Amato is one of the best trainers in California at getting stakes horses ready for peak efforts, and Joel Rosario is a Hall of Fame-level rider who excels in these mid-level stakes spots. At 9/2, there's fair value here for a horse who profiles as the legitimate second-best runner on the TrackWiz model.

Simply Joking sits third in our model at 79.88 with a 30% career win rate and an average speed figure of 54 that's competitive with the field. Trainer Michael W. McCarthy gets Emisael Jaramillo up, a pairing that's produced results at Del Mar, and at 5/1 there's value in using her to round out a trifecta. In a small stakes field, three horses separating clearly from the bottom half of the draw makes a 1-2-3 box an attractive exotic play.

After Dawn drew widespread attention with an even-money morning line — the shortest in the field by a wide margin — and a TrackWiz rating of 60.00 that puts him well behind Lorenzo Bernini but still in the conversation. The scratched jockey notation is flagged in the race card, so confirm the rider change before wagering, as that information may affect the price and public confidence. If the new rider is an upgrade or lateral move, the even-money line still suggests connections feel strongly about this horse despite the training question mark.

Timayyyy rates at 59.87 — third in the field — with an average speed figure of 54 and a 7/2 morning line that reflects public respect. Trainer Brian A. Lynch gets Juan J. Hernandez up, one of the most reliable turf jockeys in Southern California, and that pairing at this price is a combination worth including in your trifecta. In a wide-open maiden claimer, the show position is often where value hides, and Timayyyy fits the profile of a horse who'll finish running even if he can't quite get there first.